This invention relates generally to hand tools and more specifically to an articulating multi-sized adapter.
Socket wrenches are known to the art. Generally, a socket wrench set has a number of interchangeable sockets that can be attached to a drive head which is integrally connected to a drive handle. The sockets are cylindrical in shape and have a rectangular opening at one end sized to fit a square drive on a socket drive head and a round, internally faceted workpiece engaging orifice at the other end. Typically, the workpiece is a nut or a bolt.
Generally speaking, the drive, as connected to a handle, has a square drive. The square drive engages the square opening in the socket. The rectangular opening of the socket is designed to mate with the square drive. For example, a socket designed to mate with a 1/4 inch drive would have an 1/4 inch rectangular opening. The sizes of the workpiece engaging orifices differ among the various interchangeable sockets so that the user can change sockets depending upon the size of the nut or bolt. The socket can range from 1/4 inch to one inch or more. A larger drive allows for more torque to be applied on the wrench. Further, the drive handle of the wrench is heavier to accommodate a larger drive. A mechanic who does a variety of different jobs must have more than one set of socket wrenches. Generally the mechanic will have a set of 1/4 inch drive sockets for lighter applications and a set of 1/2 inch or even a set of 3/4 inch drive sockets for heavier applications. Of course, having a large inventory of wrenches increases overhead costs and requires extra storage space. Furthermore, if the mechanic is in the middle of a job and determines that he needs a different size socket set, he has to interrupt his work to get another set of wrenches.
In my co-pending application Ser. No. 08/398,691, I address these limitations by providing interchangeable sockets and drives that increase the versatility of a set of socket wrenches. Prior designs, including my own, however, do not address another problem encountered by the user. That is, often the user needs to apply a wrench to a workpiece at an odd angle. That is, the workpiece may be so positioned that a conventional socket wrench will not reach the workpiece. It would be useful, therefore, to have a adapter to attach between the drive and the socket that can articulate or bend so as to reach a workpiece in a difficult to reach place but that still retains its driving force. Moreover, it would be useful to have such a adapter that can accommodate different sizes of drives and sockets.